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2009 Canadian Government Budget links

NOTE: I don't check the links on this archive page
to ensure that they're still active, so you'll definitely find some that are
dead...

Click on the links below to jump directly
to a specific section further down on this page, or scroll down the page to
find links to the following:(You can click on your browser's BACK button to return here if you select
a link below.)

The
links below will take you to budget information (budget papers + analysis) further
down on the page you're now reading:

Source:Deloitte
& Touche(Canada)Deloitte, one of Canada's leading professional
services firms, provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services
through more than 7,700 people in 57 offices.

Ontario Economic Outlook
and Fiscal Review 2009
- October 22, 2009

Ontario
2009 Fall Economic Statement

Global
Economic Recession Causes Increase in DeficitNews ReleaseOctober
22, 2009The McGuinty government outlined today in the 2009 Fall Economic Statement
how it is helping Ontario individuals, families and businesses through the global
recession and positioning the province for future job creation and economic growth.

Economic
Outlook and Fiscal Review 2009Using the most recent information available
at October 15, 2009, the 2009 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review updates
the economic assumptions from the 2009 Ontario Budget. The impact of these changes
is applied to the governments revenue and expenditure projections, which
revise the anticipated financial results for the current fiscal year.

Ontario
deficit could reach $24.7B: DuncanProvincial economy expected to shrink 3.5%October
22, 2009Ontario's deficit is expected to reach $24.7 billion in the current
fiscal year, provincial Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced Thursday. And
the province's economic output is expected to show a decline of 3.5 per cent for
2009, Duncan said in the Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, which he
released at Queen's Park. Declining corporate tax revenues and increasing demand
for public services have dragged down the government's bottom line, Duncan said.
Corporate tax revenues dropped by an "unprecedented" 48.1 per cent in
2008-09, or by more than $6 billion, the report says.Source:CBC

Deficit
slaps $1,891 for each OntarianPummelled by the recession,
bruised by stimulus measures, Ontario runs a record $24.7B deficitBy
Robert Benzie and Rob FergusonOctober 23, 2009Every Ontario man, woman
and child owes an additional $1,891 thanks to a record provincial deficit of $24.7
billion, greater even than the impact of Ottawa's massive shortfall on each Canadian.Finance
Minister Dwight Duncan delivered the revised deficit projection for this fiscal
year in the fall economic statement Thursday, saying Ontarians must wait until
the March budget to learn what sacrifices will have to be made as the Liberals
cobble together a restraint plan to eliminate the record shortfall. Duncan admitted
he and Premier Dalton McGuinty have no idea yet how the government will tackle
the problem.Source:Toronto Star

Ontario
government gives housing dollars with one hand, takes away more with the otherOctober
24, 2009 By Michael ShapcottThe Ontario government is helping households
across the province cope with deep and persistent housing insecurity and homelessness
by making a big 7% ($52.1 million) cut to spending at the Ontario Ministry of
Municipal Affairs and Housing, according to the province's fall economic account.
Over the past four years, MAH has seen its annual operating funding cut by $222.4
million (that's almost a quarter of a billion dollars) - adding up to a painfully
deep 24% cut since fiscal 2005. Over the past four years, the cumulative spending
cuts at MAH add up to $657.1 million. This is enough to finance the construction
of more than 4,380 new affordable homes.Source:Wellesley
Institute Blog[ Wellesley Institute
]

No
help for the poorNovember 14, 2009Blog entry posted by Bruce
WarkFriday November 13th was an unlucky day for poor Nova Scotians. That's
the day four economists (three men and one woman) released their recommendations
outlining the economic path the new NDP government should follow. The 94-page
report had little to say about the perennial problem of poverty in Nova Scotia.
It focussed instead on how the provincial government should balance its books
--- not next year as the NDP promised during the spring election campaign ---
but within the next four years.Source:Halifax
Media Co-op[ Dominion Newspaper
Cooperative ]The Dominion Newspaper Cooperative, a grassroots Canadian
newspaper and website that has been publishing since May 2003, has entered into
a new phase for the Co-op - and for journalism in Canada. In February 2009, we
launched our first 'local' in Halifax. The Halifax Media Co-op is a member-funded
media cooperative that aims to combine participatory, democratically produced
media with professional standards.

Newshounds
grill DexterNovember 16, 2009Blog entry posted by Bruce WarkNova
Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter and his Finance Minister, Graham Steele underwent
a sustained grilling today at the hands of the Halifax media. Reporters demanded
to know why the pair could consider raising taxes, cutting spending and not balancing
next year's budget when only a few months ago during the provincial election campaign,
they promised a balanced budget with no tax hikes or major spending reductions."We
did not have the information that we have today," a grim-faced Dexter told
his inquisitors. "Six months ago, no one would have believed what we're facing
today."Dexter and Steele were reacting to the report of the Nova Scotia
Economic Advisory panel released on Friday. The panel warned that trying to balance
next year's budget would wreak havoc on the economy as well as on public services
that people need. It also warned that tax increases and spending reductions would
be needed to balance the budget in four years. Without such measures, the province
would face a budget shortfall of $1.3 billion by 2013.Source:Halifax
Media Co-op

Tax
hikes, spending cuts on table in N.S.No balanced budget next year despite
campaign promiseNovember 17, 2009Nova Scotians can expect
taxes to rise and programs to be cut as part of the NDP government's fiscal plan.
Those two strategies, along with spurring economic development, must be considered
because of the province's dire finances, Premier Darrell Dexter said Monday. Dexter
also said he won't be able to balance the books next year, despite vowing to do
so while on the campaign trail last spring. ("... But there are economic
realities that we are faced with today that we did not know six months ago")*.
Dexter was responding to the recommendations of a panel of economic advisers,
released last Friday. The four-person panel, which Dexter appointed in August,
urged the government to forget about eliminating the deficit until 2012, saying
that introducing a balanced budget next year would further damage a weak economy.---*
Sounds like a page from Dalton McGuinty's lament when
his Liberals took over from the Tories in Ontario in 2003...[ In its first
budget after that election, the McGuinty government broke a key Liberal campaign
pledge not to raise taxes, and it justified the about-face by railing at every
opportunity about the previous (Conservative) government's "hidden deficit"
of $5.6 billion dollars.]

--------------------------------------------------------------

Province
of Nova Scotia Financial ReviewInterim Report7 August 2009The
people of Nova Scotia elected a new Government on 9th June 2009, and the newly
appointed Executive Council was sworn in on 19th June, 2009. During the election
campaign the new Government committed to an immediate review of the Province.s
finances upon entering office. Deloitte & Touche LLP has been contracted to
assist the new Government of Nova Scotia with an independent review and analysis
of the Province of Nova Scotia.s current and future financial position.Source:Deloitte
& Touche LLP

N.S.
Tory government defeated on money billMay 4, 2009
HALIFAX -- After three years in power, Nova Scotia's sometimes gaffe-prone
minority government fell on Monday, setting the stage for an early June election
call. Premier Rodney MacDonald says he will meet with Lt.-Gov. Mayann Francis
on Tuesday to discuss the fate of his government, but he expects an election
to be held on June 9. The Conservative government lost a vote Monday on a
bill that would have allowed it to miss legally required debt payments, which
it considered a matter of confidence. The government's defeat was widely expected
sometime this week and it came as no surprise to MacDonald.
(...) The government had introduced its 2009-10 budget earlier Monday, although
it was largely a political exercise as the document will die with an election
call. [bolding added]
Source:CTV News

---

NOTE: Even though the government was defeated
(not on the budget itself, but rather a separate money bill) and an election
has been called, the budget papers contain a lot of useful information on
provincial government expenditures and business plans and suchlike. You can
find those by clicking the first link below and scrolling down the "2009"
column. You can also find budget papers for earlier years back to 1996 in
the left-hand column on that page.

Nova
Scotia Budget 2009-2010 Budget Papers
May 4, 2009
"The province of Nova Scotia is tabling its eighth consecutive balanced
budget in 20092010, estimating a surplus of $4 million."
- links to all budget documents, including the Budget Address, Highlights,
Budget Bulletins, Estimates, Supplementary Detailed Estimates, Crown Corporation
Business Plans, Government Business Plan and more

Protecting
Vital Services, Building for the Future (PDF - 99K, 2 pages)News
Release September 1, 2009VICTORIA  The B.C. government is protecting
vital services and positioning British Columbia for renewed economic growth, Finance
Minister Colin Hansen announced today as he released the September Budget Update
2009. (...) The Budget Update contains revised deficit forecasts of $2.8 billion
in 2009/10, $1.7 billion in 2010/11, and $945 million in 2011/12.

September
Budget Update 2009Government of British Columbia- main budget
page, includes links to the Budget Speech and all budget papers (backgrounders,
budget and fiscal plan, estimates, Ministry service plans, and more).

B.C.
heads for $2.8B deficitSeptember 1, 2009The B.C. government
is forecasting its biggest annual deficit ever  $2.8 billion  Finance
Minister Colin Hansen announced Tuesday in the legislature as he tabled his first
budget update since the May election. Despite that shortfall, Hansen said funding
for health care, education and social services will all increase, while both personal
and small-business taxes will be cut to the lowest levels in Canada.NOTE:
in the right-hand margin of the page with the CBC article, you'll find links to
at least a half-dozen more BC Budget articles.Source:CBC
News

---

B.C.
increases budget for welfare, kindergarten and forest fires By
Rebecca teBrake September 1, 2009The provincial government will spend
more on welfare, kindergarten and forest fires despite announcing $3.4 billion
in spending cuts. Tuesdays budget update was a sombre affair for the most
part, with Finance Minister Colin Hansen announcing a $2.8-billion deficit and
$3.4 billion in budget cuts over the next three years. But the province will increase
spending to the tune of $1.1 billion in priority areas including welfare, emergency
homeless shelters, prosecutions, forest fires, municipal infrastructure, treaties,
tourism and kindergarten.Source:Vancouver
Sun

---

Record
Deficit a Big Surprise, Say BC LiberalsDuring May's election
Hansen glimpsed red ink, but lacked a 'crystal ball'.By Andrew MacLeodBritish
Columbia Finance Minister Colin Hansen is projecting a record deficit of $2.8
billion, according to a budget update he presented today. It's a figure five times
larger than the $495 million projected in February and insisted upon by Premier
Gordon Campbell during the election campaign.Source:TheTyee.ca

---

BC's
Bizarre Fiscal PlanThe government seems to be jamming its feet
on both the brake pedal and accelerator.September 1, 2009By Will McMartin"(...)The
Campbell government clearly understands that fiscal and economic stimulus is a
good and necessary thing during the current economic downturn. And, yet, the BC
Liberals also appear to have a perverse obsession about cutting government spending
 no matter the cost to British Columbia's 'general interest'."Source:TheTyee.ca

---

Take
Two: BC Budget 2009 September UpdateBy Marc LeeSeptember 1, 2009The
September BC Budget is a new look at a budget most have come to see as a fake.
Februarys budget was not passed through the legislature due to the May election,
and up to E-Day the government maintained the fiction that it had a small-ish
deficit of just under half a billion dollars. Since that time, the government
has moved out of denial about the recession and revealed that it could not in
fact meet its deficit target, accompanied by loud noises about expenditure cuts
through the summer.Source:Progressive
Economics blog

---

September 1, 2009Budget
Deficit and DeceitThe Campbell government plans to balance its budget by 2013-2014.
That plan calls for tabling a budget in February 2013, holding an election
in May 2013 and having a new replacement budget in September 2013. It looks
like the B.C. Liberals think voters will fall for the 2009 trick again and
again. Between now and the next election, all of the budgets that will be
tested by audited financial statements, Public Accounts, will show deficits,
beginning with a deficit of $2.8 billion this year. You won't find it in the
government's budget highlights, but Finance Minister Colin Hansen's September
budget update announced an 18% increase in MSP premiums. BC has set several
Canadian records: the highest child poverty, the lowest minimum wage and the
only province to use regressive premiums to fund health care.
Source:Strategic Thoughts.com

N.S.
Tory government defeated on money billMay
4, 2009HALIFAX -- After three years in power, Nova
Scotia's sometimes gaffe-prone minority government fell on Monday, setting the
stage for an early June election call. Premier Rodney MacDonald says he will meet
with Lt.-Gov. Mayann Francis on Tuesday to discuss the fate of his government,
but he expects an election to be held on June 9. The Conservative government lost
a vote Monday on a bill that would have allowed it to miss legally required debt
payments, which it considered a matter of confidence. The government's defeat
was widely expected sometime this week and it came as no surprise to MacDonald.
(...) The government had introduced its 2009-10
budget earlier Monday, although it was largely a political exercise as the document
will die with an election call. [bolding added]Source:CTV
News

---

NOTE:
Even though the government was defeated (not on the budget itself, but rather
a separate money bill) and an election has been called, the budget papers contain
a lot of useful information on provincial government expenditures and business
plans and suchlike. You can find those by clicking the first link below and scrolling
down the "2009" column. You can also find budget papers for earlier
years back to 1996 in the left-hand column on that page.

P.E.I.
forecasts $85M deficit, announces new stroke unitApril 16, 2009The
P.E.I. government is projecting big increases in revenue in 2009-10, but even
bigger increases in spending, settling on a deficit of just over $85 million.The
Department of Health is the biggest beneficiary of the new spending, with an extra
$28 million. The biggest announcement from that department is a new 10-bed stroke
unit at Charlottetown's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Previously, specialized stroke
treatment was only available out of province. Education
also got a big boost, split between two departments. Innovation and Advanced Learning
added $22 million to its budget, including $16 million in job training through
Labour Market Development, while $5 million will be shared among the province's
three post-secondary schools.Source:CBC
Prince Edward Island

Budget
2009 builds on strength to foster growth and support programs for AlbertansStelmach
government has flexibility to deal with difficult timesNews ReleaseApril
7, 2009Budget highlights:* $23.2 billion over three years to build health
facilities, schools, and roads - includes funding for carbon capture and storage,
and GreenTRIP. * 3.7-per-cent increase in operating spending to address population
growth and inflation. * Priority areas of health, education, advanced education,
seniors and children services account for 75 per cent of the operating increase.
* Taxes remain lowest in Canada; tobacco tax increases and liquor markup is raised.
* Forecast $36.4 billion in spending in 2009-10; $31.7 billion in revenue.
* $4.7 billion deficit forecast for 2009-10; surplus forecast in 2012-13.
* $2 billion in fiscal corrective actions to be taken in 2010 if situation does
not improve beyond forecast. * New fiscal framework allows for transfers from
Sustainability Fund to offset deficits.Source:News
releases (9), Charts and graphs (17), Audio files (8) <===numbers in parentheses
represent how many of each type of info

Highlights
(PDF - 167K, 2 pages)Government has a 4-point plan that will help position
Alberta for a strong economic recovery. Emphasis will be placed on:* keeping
a close eye on government spending;* drawing down our savings to protect the
programs and services Albertans depend on;* continuing to invest in public
infrastructure to support jobs and the economy; and* promoting Alberta to
a global market.

Related links:

Small
hike in welfare budget criticized By Trish
AudetteApril 15, 2009Despite a recession that has cost the provincial
economy more than 44,000 jobs since the start of the year, the government topped
up income support funding by just two per cent in this year's budget, drawing
criticism from those who work with unemployed Albertans. But Employment and Immigration
Minister Hector Goudreau said the cash injection to Alberta Works, which funds
people on welfare, should be seen as a positive "in that it wasn't cut. I
think that the mandate is not to provide welfare or financial support. Our mandate
is to try to take people and put them into training positions and get them into
the workforce as soon as possible," he said. "We're trying to move people
through the system."Source:The
Edmonton Journal

Alberta
budget to eliminate health-care premiums by 2009 April 7Saying
the time has come for Albertans to reap added benefits from the province's prosperity,
Premier Ed Stelmach's government unveiled a budget Tuesday that promises to eliminate
health care premiums on Jan. 1, 2009. (...) Government
figures suggest the change will save the average family $1,056 a year, with total
savings to Albertans and businesses estimated at $1 billion. The
2008-09 financial plan also calls for record spending of $37 billion, up 9.7 per
cent over last year, fuelled by $11 billion in energy revenues and a growing tax
base. Included in that is $22.2 billion over three years to build roads, schools,
health-care facilities and other critical infrastructure.Source:CBC
Edmonton

---

Alberta
gov't tables budget with $4.7B deficitApril
7, 2009The 2009 Budget unveiled on Tuesday has a dubious
claim: it marks the biggest deficit in Alberta history. After
15 years of delivering balanced budgets, the Province announced it expects to
be $4.7 billion in the red by the end of the fiscal year, followed by projected
deficits of $2.4 and $1.8 billion for 2010 and 2011. The
province will also once again begin borrowing money. Finance Minister Iris Evans
believes going into debt is worth it if it will keep Albertans working.Source:CTV
Edmonton

---

Alberta
to post the biggest deficit in its historyApril 7, 2009EDMONTON
 Alberta expects to post a $4.7-billion deficit this year  the largest
in provincial history  as the former darling of the Canadian economy sinks
into the red over four consecutive years. The resource-rich province has been
brought to its knees by collapsing energy prices, a slumping stock market and
declining corporate investment. But despite all the problems, the province introduced
a 2009-2010 budget yesterday that has adopted a status quo fiscal plan that signals
a major departure from other Canadian jurisdictions. Governments across the country
have either slashed corporate taxes or injected money into infrastructure programs
to save jobs and kick-start the troubled economy.Source:The
Globe and Mail

Ontario
Budget Creates Jobs for Families Todayand Builds Economy for TomorrowMcGuinty
Government Invests $32.5 Billion in Infrastructure, Proposes Sales Tax Reform
and $10.6 Billion in Tax Relief for PeopleNews ReleaseMarch 26,
2009The McGuinty government's 2009 Budget lays out a plan to help families
affected by the global economic crisis and positions Ontario to become more competitive
for a more prosperous future. The Ontario government is investing $34 billion
over two years to stimulate the economy. This timely and targeted investment includes
$32.5 billion in infrastructure spending and nearly $700 million in additional
funding for skills training. This will preserve or create more than 300,000 jobs
over the next two years to support Ontario's families and communities. The government
is proposing to accelerate the phase-in of the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) two
years ahead of schedule, increase social assistance rates and invest in social
housing infrastructure.

Ontario's
Poverty Reduction Strategy and the 2009 Budget"(...) The Poverty
Reduction Strategy' target is to reduce the number of children living in poverty
by 25 per cent over the next 5 years. All low-income families with children would
see the benefits of this strategy, which would help lift 90,000 children out of
poverty. The government, however, cannot do this alone. Meeting this goal depends
on having a willing partner in the federal government, as well as a growing economy.-
incl. info on enhancements to the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB), tax relief for
families and individuals, a new youth opportunities strategy, community hubs,
Social Assistance rate increases and review of social assistance "with the
goal of removing barriers and increasing opportunity  with a particular
focus on people trying to move into employment from social assistance."
(Hmmmm - the terminology used here reminds me of the way Mike Harris used to describe
his hand-up-not-handout-USA-Jobs-First-style-Common-Sense-Revolution approach
- Gilles.)- also incl. info on support for housing, Ontario's minimum
wage, a new Deprivation Index for Ontario, the Poverty Reduction Act, and initiatives
the McGuinty government has introduced since 2003-04 to support low-income families
and individuals

Ontario
makes progress on poverty reduction, but job still unfinishedMarch
26, 2009Todays budget took crucial steps to bring Ontario closer to
the goal of reducing poverty by 25% by 2013. But the budget needed to go further
to help low-income individuals and families get by in current tough economic times,
said the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction. (...) The 25 in 5 Network identified
five critical areas for government action, released in its Blueprint for Economic
Stimulus and Poverty Reduction in February. The budget delivered on the Ontario
Child Benefit, made significant progress on affordable housing, fell short on
social assistance, missed the mark entirely on early learning and child care,
and went halfway on labour standards.Source:25
in 5 Poverty Reduction Network25-in-5: Network for Poverty Reduction is
a multi-sectoral network comprised of more than 100 provincial and Toronto-based
organizations and individuals working on eliminating poverty.

Ontario
budget 2009: Battered social infrastructure gets little reliefMarch
27, 2009 By Rick BlicksteadOntarios critically important social
infrastructure is taking a battering in the current recession, but the 2009 provincial
budget offers almost no relief. Community-based health, social services and housing
providers are on the front lines in delivering the practical and basic supports
that people who are suffering the most in the current recession desperately need.
Community health and service providers are facing the double-whammy of increased
demand for services while funding continues to deteriorate.

Ontario
budget 2009: Health inequalities virtually ignoredMarch 27, 2009
By Bob GardnerThe deep and persistent inequalities in health among Ontarians
have been all but ignored in the 2009 Ontario budget. Over three times as many
low-income adults report their health to be only fair or poor as high-income;
over 50% more low income adult men have two or more chronic conditions than high-income.

Ontario
budget 2009: Ontario housing policy now being written by fedsMarch
26, 2009 By Michael ShapcottOntario housing policy is now being written
by the federal government  thats the grim news in the 2009 provincial
budget, released today. While the Ontario government promised in its poverty reduction
strategy that it would launch a provincial housing consultation in the spring
of 2009, the provincial budget sets out a made-on-Parliament Hill housing plan
for Ontario.

Ontario
Budget 2009: Big Stimulus, Big Deficitsby Marie-Christine Bernard,
Sabrina Browarski and Matthew StewartThe coming year will prove to be a year
of firsts for Ontario, the traditional engine of growth in the Canadian
economy. For the first time since the inception of provincial trade records in
1981, Ontario will record a net trade deficit. This unfortunate development will
trickle into the medium-term outlook for the province even as U.S. consumer sentiment
revives. Ontario is also poised to go from have to have not
status for the first time, and it will receive $347 million in federal equalization
payments.Source:Conference Board
of Canada

---

Ontario
to hit record $14.1B deficit in 2009: budgetFinance minister
announces accord with Ottawa to bring in single sales taxMarch 26,
2009Ontario will rack up a record $14.1-billion deficit in 2009 as it commits
billions to infrastructure projects and job retraining aimed at pulling the province
out of a recession, provincial Finance Minister Dwight Duncan revealed on Thursday
in the tabling of his $108.9-billion budget. The fiscal plan also proposes corporate
tax cuts to ease costs for struggling businesses and stimulate investment in Ontarios
sagging economy, which has shed hundreds of thousands of jobs in recent years.Source:CBC

---

Housing,
child benefit items praisedBut activists argue spending falls short on
improvements to welfare, child careMarch 27, 2009By Laurie MonsebraatenAnti-poverty
activists praised the Ontario budget for moving ahead with the Liberal government's
pledge to fight poverty. But the measures outlined in yesterday's budget fall
considerably short of the $5 billion over two years the activists had called on
the government to spend to help stimulate the province's faltering economy and
prevent more Ontarians from plunging into poverty.Source:The
Toronto Star[ More Budget Coverage
in The Star<=== over two dozen budget-related
links ]

---

2009
Pre-Budget Consultations

[NOTE:
I removed the hyperlink to the 2009 pre-budget consultations below because
the page was taken down after the budget was tabled (BOOOOOO!); I've left the
text intact for the hard-core budget analysts to examine.]

Province-wide
Pre-Budget 2009 Consultations:Tell Us What You ThinkView the video
introduction on Pre-Budget Consultations (or read the transcript) by the Ontario
Minister of Finance and Revenue, and then answer the six questions; there's a
text box for your "open-ended" answer. For example, under question
#3 ("Given the current fiscal challenges, what government programs could
be delayed, phased in more slowly or eliminated?"), someone who believes
in social justice might answer : "There is not one single mention of the
Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy
in this 90-page Economic Statement and the related backgrounders. It appears that
the Ontario Government has already decided that poverty reduction will be 'phased
in more slowly', and that's not right." [ Assignment
for historians : check through Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's old
diatribes when he was Opposition Leader against Mike Harris (the Tory Premier
who implemented deep cuts in welfare and other social supports in the mid-1990s)
to find a rant of his about why poverty reduction is all the more critical during
an economic downturn. ]

Related link:

'Full
steam ahead,' minister says Government targets December
for plan to help poor while Hampton demands action and not `talk'October
23, 2008The Liberal government says it plans to move ahead on its anti-poverty
agenda, despite the dire economic outlook for the province. While Ontario slows
spending in some areas, the Liberal government will not back down on its commitments
to fight poverty, said Deb Matthews, provincial chair of the cabinet committee
on poverty reduction and the minister of children and youth services. Source:The
Toronto Star

Budget
2009: Building on Our Strong FoundationMarch 26, 2009News
ReleaseThe Williams Government today unveiled Budget 2009: Building on Our
Strong Foundation, a financial plan that includes strategic investments to strengthen
the provinces economy, while protecting and enhancing important social programs.
Budget 2009 provides significant economic stimulus, benefiting the people and
the communities of Newfoundland and Labrador, and includes targeted expenditures
in economic development, infrastructure, health, education, poverty reduction,
and the environment.

Standing
Strong in the Fight Against PovertyMarch 26, 2009News ReleaseThe
Williams Government continues to stand strong and lead the way in its fight against
poverty by investing $132.2 million in Budget 2009 to help individuals and families
with low incomes. The 18 new significant initiatives announced today will help
realize the provincial Poverty Reduction Strategys commitment of becoming
the jurisdiction with the lowest poverty rates in Canada by 2014.

Related
links:

N.L.
takes calculated risk with $750M deficitCivil service untouched, program
spending increased amid financial chaosMarch 26, 2009Once flush
with oil-fuelled cash, Newfoundland and Labrador said Thursday it is willing to
take on a massive deficit in the coming year, while expecting a return to balanced
books in relatively short order. "We're cautiously optimistic that the economy
will rebound," Finance Minister Jerome Kennedy told reporters Tuesday before
he brought down a budget that not only avoids cuts to jobs and programs, but also
raises spending on health, social services and infrastructure.Source:CBC

Budget
charts a balanced, steady courseContinues to Invest in Health, Training
and Skills Development; Stimulates Economy with $1.6-billion Infrastructure
Investment: SelingerNews ReleaseMarch 25, 2009Budget 2009
charts a balanced, steady course by investing in health, education and training,
stimulates the economy through infrastructure investments and is the 10th consecutive
balanced budget since 1999, making this the first full decade of balanced budgets
by a government in Manitoba in more than 50 years, Finance Minister Greg Selinger
said today.

Manitoba
hikes user fees, boosts spending  and posts small surplusMarch
25, 2009The government of Manitoba tabled a $12.7-billion balanced budget
Wednesday that tries to stave off economic contraction by hiking tobacco taxes
and user fees to pay for $226 million in new spending. While
most provinces are projecting multi-year deficits, Manitoba is forecasting a $48-million
surplus for the upcoming fiscal year. But the province's accumulated debt will
still climb by $861 million in 2009-10 as a result of pension obligations and
increased capital investments.Source:CBC

2009-10
Budget Continuing to Invest in Yukons FutureNews ReleaseMarch
19, 2009WHITEHORSE  The Government of Yukons 2009-10 Capital and
Operations and Maintenance budget, totaling $1 billion and $3 million, was tabled
in the legislative assembly today by Premier Dennis Fentie.(...) This year will
be the seventh consecutive year-end with a budget surplus, which includes $240.6
million in Capital spending and $762.6 million in Operations and Maintenance.

More
spending, no tax hikes, in Yukon's $1B budgetMarch 19, 2009Yukon
Premier Dennis Fentie, seen speaking to business leaders on Wednesday, said his
budget aims to stimulate the private sector economy and help communities.Yukon
Premier Dennis Fentie, seen speaking to business leaders on Wednesday, said his
budget aims to stimulate the private sector economy and help communities. Source:CBC
North

The
Budget at a Glance (PDF - 12 pages, 680 Kb)1. Tackling the recession
and preparing for recovery2. Ensuring social development3. Maintaining
sound public finances

Selected Budget
papers:

Status
Report on Québec's Family Policy (PDF - 48 pages, 716 Kb)Québec
has gradually implemented a family policy that is now considered one of the most
generous in the world. This policy is starting to yield results: the birth rate
is up, the demographic trends of the 1990s have been reversed, the employment
rate of women is improving, and Québec has one of the lowest child poverty
rates in Canada. (...) Québecs family policy
has three components: financial support for parents, child care and parental leave.
The government wants to provide a status report on the main programs under each
component, using concrete examples to demonstrate the substantial support available
to Québec families.

Quebecers'
Income: The Progress Achieved (PDF - 60 pages, 752 Kb)Since 2003 the
government has undertaken major tax initiatives to raise Quebecers income.
The measures taken have made it possible to increase the real disposable income
of households, and have contributed to improving the purchasing power of citizens.
This document is intended to provide an update on the impact of these various
initiatives benefiting individuals introduced by the government.Contents:Section
1 : An overview of these tax measures and the impact they
have had on the tax situation of Quebecers in relation to the rest of North America
and elswhere in the worldSection 2 :The most recent data on Quebecers
income, how it has changed over time, and how it compares with income in other
provinces.Section 3 : factors in the level of the cost of living and changes
over time to provide an instrument for measuring Quebecers purchasing power.

Focus
on Child Welfare in provincial budget March 18, 2009News ReleaseEnsuring
Saskatchewan is a healthy, safe place to live for all of our children, including
those at risk, is a priority of the 2009-10 Budget. Nearly $25 million has been
dedicated to improving the province's child welfare system over the next year.

Big
property tax cut highlights Saskatchewan budgetOpposition
says $10B spending plan is unsustainableMarch 18, 2009Saskatchewan
will cut education property taxes by 14 per cent and boost spending by more than
$1 billion, according to a provincial budget that shows few signs of the economic
storm battering the rest of Canada. While other provinces are looking at hefty
deficits amid the economic slowdown, Saskatchewan will take in $400 million more
than it spends in 2009-2010, according to the budget released by Finance Minister
Rod Gantefoer on Wednesday.Source:CBC
Saskatchewan News

---

Saskatchewan
fits stimulus spending into surplus budgetMarch 18, 2009The
prairie tiger's roar softened to a purr Wednesday as Saskatchewan's government
tabled a budget that promises tax cuts, stimulus spending and a surplus well short
of the $2.3-billion that flooded provincial coffers last year. Finance Minister
Rod Gantefoer forecast a $425-million surplus for the coming year, even while
the economy absorbs a 12-per-cent spending increase, a massive property tax reduction
and roller-coaster commodity prices.Source:The
Globe and Mail

Province
provides leadership for stronger economy with 2009-10 budgetMarch
17, 2009News ReleaseFREDERICTON (CNB) - The largest one-time tax reduction
package ever introduced in New Brunswick is a major part of the province's 2009-10
budget, Leadership for a Stronger Economy, along with measures to maintain and
create jobs, a commitment to return to balanced budgets, and strict controls on
government expenditures. Delivered today by Finance Minister Victor Boudreau,
the budget also features focused investments in priorities such as health care
and education, and $1.2 billion for infrastructure projects.- includes detailed
budget highlights

N.B.
budget cuts hundreds of millions in taxesMarch 17, 2009The
New Brunswick government is unleashing a series of personal and corporate tax
cuts in its 2009-10 budget as it attempts to provide a jolt to the province's
faltering economy. Finance Minister Victor Boudreau announced Tuesday a four-year
plan that will merge the province's four tax brackets into two with lower rates
and cut corporate taxes to the lowest in the country. Under the plan, there would
be tax cuts totalling $143.5 million in 2009-10; this would increase to tax cuts
totalling $380.2 million in 2012-13.[ NOTE: see "In depth: 2009-10 New
Brunswick Budget" in the right-hand margin for links to over a dozen related
articles ]

[B.C.]
BUDGET 2009 BUILDS STABILITY, CONFIDENCE FOR THE FUTUREFebruary
17, 2009News ReleaseVICTORIA  Budget 2009 supports infrastructure
projects to create thousands of jobs and build opportunities in every region of
the province while providing stability and confidence for British Columbians by
investing in health, education and social services, announced Finance Minister
Colin Hansen today. (...) Budget 2009 invests almost $14 billion in infrastructure
projects in every region of British Columbia. The Province will move forward on
its capital plan and partner with the federal government and municipalities to
build and upgrade housing, hospitals, schools and roads. These new and accelerated
investments will generate as many as 88,000 jobs across B.C.Source:Government
of British Columbia

Budget
Highlights (PDF - 616K, 8 pages)"(...) Fully 90 per cent of all
new spending in British Columbias three-year fiscal plan is devoted to improving
healthcare. The remaining 10 per cent is allocated to other key priorities including
education and social programs. Budget 2009 continues to support families and communities.
It provides new funding over three years to care for and protect vulnerable children
and youth supporting healthy child and family development.This includes:»
$110 million in funding for programs for B.C. families with children.»
$110 million in new funding for income assistance.» $73 million for
programs and services for adults with developmental disabilities."

Estimates,
Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010 (PDF - 2MB, 218 pages)- the detailed
breakdown of proposed spending by ministry and government agency that must be
debated and approved by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

This
Budget Is Toxic Fudge:BC's government is in denial about the economic realities
we face.By Will McMartinFebruary 18, 2009In a province
where phoney-baloney budgets and fiscal manipulation are as common as rain, BC
Liberal Finance Minister Colin Hansen's 2009/10 plan is as misleading and deceptive
as any we've ever seen. The global economy, as every British Columbian over the
age of three knows by now, has collapsed. Job losses are rising at an ever-increasing
rate; retail sales and housing starts have plunged and commodity prices tanked;
and many of the world's largest financial institutions have imploded. Federal
governments of every ideological stripe, as well as U.S. states and Canadian provinces,
have or are wracking up gigantic fiscal shortfalls.

BC
Budget 2009: Vanilla, No SprinklesFebruary 17, 2009 By Marc LeeFaced
with a nasty recession at its doorstep, the BC budget is uninspiring and underwhelming
in its ambition. Overall there is little that actively plans for a recession,
preferring instead a steady-as-she-goes budget, perhaps aimed at cultivating the
image of responsible economic managers in a time of crisis. There are no tax cuts
or drastic spending cuts, thankfully, but nor is there any short-term assistance
to the most vulnerable, nor any meaningful investments towards a long-term strategic
vision.Source:The Lead-UpBC
Election Commentary from the CCPA

Report
to Canadians Shows Canadas Economic Action Plan Is Supporting
the Recovery
News Release
September 27, 2010
Through the Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada has committed
funds to over 23,000 projects across Canada to stimulate the economy
and put Canadians back to work. The announcement was made by the
Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, together with the
Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for the Economic Development
Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, upon release of the
6th report to Canadians on the implementation of the Economic Action
Plan. The Report to Canadians says the Economic Action Plan is on
track to deliver a further $22 billion in federal stimulus spending
in 2010-11. All of the jobs lost during the recession in Canada
have now been recouped.

ActionPlan.gc.ca-
incl. links to: * THE CHALLENGE * WHAT HAS BEEN DONE * THE PLAN * THE ROLLOUT
* WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Also from Finance Canada:

Budget
2009: Canadas Economic Action PlanNews ReleaseJanuary
27, 2009The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today tabled a comprehensive
budget plan to stimulate economic growth, restore confidence and support Canadians
and their families during a synchronized global recession. (...) Canadas
Economic Action Plan will provide almost $30 billion in support to the Canadian
economy this year. In total, this is equivalent to 1.9 per cent of our total economy.

The Budget Plan* HTML
version - Table of Contents, incl. links to each of the four chapters
and five annexes* PDF
Version(1.2MB, 343 pages) - complete Budget Plan in one file[Factoid:
In the 343-page Budget Plan, the words "women" and "poverty"
appear exactly ZERO times.]

Tax
Savings CalculatorThe Good News: My "Total Tax Relief"
for 2009 is $532.The Bad News:My additional out-of-pocket expenses
for 2009 re. higher property taxes and higher cost of living in general will
add up to $1000 or more.

March 11 2009International
Monetary Fund Supports Stimulus Measures in Canada's Economic Action PlanThe
Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today welcomed an International
Monetary Fund (IMF) statement of support for the fiscal stimulus in Canada's Economic
Action Plan, which it called "large, timely and well-targeted." Noting
the stimulus package is well above the Fund's benchmark of 2 per cent of gross
domestic product (GDP), the IMF statement said the immediate focus should be to
implement the budget to mobilize spending.Source:Finance
Canada

Federal
Budget 2009 CoverageJanuary 27, 2009After months of speculation,
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tabled a federal budget that includes $40 billion
in economic stimulus over the next two years in the form of infrastructure spending
and income tax cuts.

Need
and stimulus in harmonyJanuary 20, 2009Putting
money in the hands of low- and moderate-income Canadians as a way to stimulate
spending is an idea with remarkably wide consensus. The big banks in Toronto believe
in it. Economists in Western Canada believe in it. The poor apparently don't object,
either. In the current situation, it makes more sense than broad-based middle-class
tax cuts. Money spent on stimulus needs to stimulate. (Middle-class tax cuts wouldn't.)
It should also improve Canada's long-term productivity, where possible (permanent
tax cuts would), and it should not saddle taxpayers with a permanent budget deficit
(the tax cuts might). And there's an onus on government to protect those who will
be hardest hit in bad times.

Tax
cuts mean $5.9B loss in revenueTories say they want people to
spend; ignore warnings not to chop across the boardJanuary 28, 2009By
Tonda MacCharlesOTTAWAThe Conservative government has proposed widespread
tax relief for small businesses, homeowners, seniors, and low- and middle-income
Canadians. The budget calls for tax measures that will leave more money in more
people's pockets, including the sprawling middle class, whose support the Conservatives
covet. The moves will take an additional 265,000 Canadians off the tax rolls altogether,
largely through changes to the basic personal income tax exemption and to the
seniors' Age Credit. But the tax changes will come at a cost to the federal treasury.
Source:The Toronto Star

Tax
cuts, not spending, needed to stimulate economy: think-tank
By Eric BeauchesneJanuary 12, 2009OTTAWA - The federal government should
cut spending but permanently decrease personal income and business taxes in its
Jan. 27 budget to stimulate the economy, the Fraser Institute advised Monday.
Increasing government spending, whether its on bailouts for inefficient
industries or increased unemployment benefits, will lead to a deficit that will
saddle Canadians with higher taxes in the future, said Niels Veldhuis, senior
economist at the Vancouver-based think-tank.(...)The advice, however,
runs counter to that from left-leaning groups, which have called for increased
spending - especially on the unemployed and low-income workers to cushion them
against the impact of the recession and stimulate the economy. Its also
different from most mainstream economists and business groups, which have called
for, and what Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has indicated will be in the budget,
which is a combination of increased spending and lower taxes.Source:Vancouver
Sun

Fed
budget 2009: Billions in new housing spending, but not for those who need it the
mostJanuary 27, 2009 By Michael ShapcottThis backgrounder
provides a first glimpse at housing in federal budget 2009. Additional housing
analysis, and analysis of other key issues and concerns, will be released in the
coming days by the Wellesley Institute.In a nutshell:* Billions
in new housing dollars, but who really benefits?* Who's left out* The
driveways and decks tax credit* Less help for those that need it the most*
Most who need housing help won't be able to get it* Bright Northern Lights*
No new help for people who are homeless* Re-profiling the dollars* Housing
investments : good for people, communities, economy* More analysis to come...

$2.075b
for housing in Tuesday's federal budget???January
25, 2009 By Michael ShapcottThe federal government is busily leaking all
sorts of details about Tuesdays federal budget  a sharp departure
from the usual secrecy that surrounds spending plans  and the latest leak
from federal housing minister Diane Finley in the Sunday Toronto Star sets out
$2.075 billion for housing initiatives. If the spending plans are confirmed in
the budget (and its hard to imagine why Minister Finley would be so specific
in her disclosures if she wasnt in the know), it will mean (quoting the
language in the Star): $1 billion to renovate existing social
housing, including energy retrofitting; $600 million for on-reserve
Aboriginal housing; $400 million for seniors housing;
$75 million for housing for people with disabilities.Source:Wellesley
Institute Blog[ Wellesley Institute
]

Related link:

Social
housing to get boost Poor, seniors and aboriginals expected to be among
the beneficiaries of more than $2 billion out of federal government's stimulus
packageJanuary 25, 2009By Bruce Campion-SmithOTTAWAThe
federal government is poised to pump more than $2 billion into social housing
nationwide  a sweeping investment aimed at helping the poor, aboriginals
and seniors, the Star has learned. The spending is expected to be part of the
aggressive stimulus package unveiled in Tuesday's federal budget and could provide
a boost for tradespeople hit by the slowdown in the new housing market.Source:The
Toronto Star

Federal
budget leaves unemployed in the coldJanuary 27, 2009OTTAWA
-- Todays federal budget leaves hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Canadians
hanging on a very short rope and wont provide the immediate stimulus our
economy needs, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

---

Why
Budget 2009 Leaves Canadians in the ColdJanuary 28, 2009For
Stephen Harper, the only thing that matters about the 2009 budget is that it meets
the political imperatives he imposed on himself with his disastrous December fudgit-budget.
On that front, he and we are in the hands of Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.
But for Canadians, the only thing that really matters is
how effective the budget will be as a response to the biggest economic crisis
to hit this country in more than 75 years.

Five
tests for Canadas next federal budgetPress ReleaseJanuary
23, 2009OTTAWA The January 27 federal budget will be one of the most
important in Canadas history and should meet five key tests, says the Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). Whats in this budget matters,
more than ever, says CCPA Senior Economist Marc Lee. Canadians expect
a budget that will stave off the worst of the current recession, keep and create
jobs, and lay the groundwork for a fairer, greener, and more sustainable economy.

---

More
stimulus required in Tuesdays budgetEditorialJanuary
23, 2009News on Thursday of the governments stimulus plans should come
as a disappointment to Canadians. The Conservatives continued underestimation
of the economic crisis will force Canadians to suffer higher job losses and a
longer recession than necessary.

An
economic stimulus plan for Canadas economy and its peopleEditorialJanuary
13, 2009By David Macdonald & Armine YalnizyanIn the weeks leading
up to the January 27 federal budget, Jim Flaherty is hinting that he will turn,
once more, to the traditional Conservative fix for everything: tax cuts. Not only
is this response yesterdays news, it is the wrong answer for todays
problems. Tax cuts are not the kind of economic stimulus that would re-ignite
consumer confidence, and theres proof of that south of the border.

Source:Alternative
Federal Budget - incl. links to over two dozen earlier alternative budget
papers [ Canadian Centre for Policy
AlternativesThe Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social
and economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canadas leading
progressive voices in public policy debates.]

Harper
stimulus budget falls far shortJanuary 29, 2009Faced
with the prospect of losing their grip on power, the Harper government has made
a big show of taking action to address the economic and financial crisis, but
it still falls far short of what is needed to revive the economy, create jobs
and protect the vulnerable.

Federal
Budget 2009: Initial Report CardJanuary 29, 2009How well did the
budget deliver on these three key areas of concern?1. stimulating the economy,
2. protecting the vulnerable, and 3. saving and creating jobs by rebuilding
the economy

Source:Canadian
Union of Public Employees (CUPE)The Canadian Union of Public Employees
(CUPE) is Canadas largest union. With 570,000 members across Canada, CUPE
represents workers in health care, education, municipalities, libraries, universities,
social services, public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines.

Canadian
Labour Congress Final Budget 2009 AnalysisBy
Andrew JacksonJanuary 28, 2009- includes "What We Wanted"
and "What We Got" in the following areas:* Impact on Jobs and
the Economy * Investment in Public Infrastructure and
Housing* The Manufacturing and Wider Jobs Crisis*
Employment Insurance Benefits* Pensions*
Support for Training and Labour Adjustment* Federal-Provincial
Transfers and the Future of Public Services* Equality
and Inclusion* Global IssuesNOTE: the CLC Final
Budget 2009 Analysis appears on the Relentlessly
Progressive Economics Blog, which also includes budget-related posts by other
progressive economists (See "Recent Blog Posts" in the right-hand margin
of the page for links)

Source:Canadian
Labour CongressThe Canadian Labour Congress is the largest democratic
and popular organization in Canada with over three million members. The Canadian
Labour Congress brings together Canada's national and international unions, the
provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils.

January
27, 2009Women
and children last: No thank you, Mr. Flaherty! (PDF - 36K, 2 pages)[
version française : Les
femmes et les enfants en dernier: non merci, Monsieur Flaherty! (PDF -
48Ko., 2 pages) ]Toronto  This landmark federal budget includes billions
of dollars of spending and wrong-headed tax cuts but offers little support for
our most vulnerable families  especially the 760,000 low income children
and their mothers  who feel the double burden of job loss at the workplace
and at home, says Campaign 2000, the national coalition of over 120 partners working
to end child and family poverty in Canada.

---

Family
Security in Insecure Times:Poverty Reduction as Poverty PreventionSubmission
toFederal Conservative Pre-Budget ConsultationJanuary 8, 2009By Laurel
RothmanNational Coordinator, Campaign 2000"(...) Increased public
expenditures are needed to prevent further child and family poverty and to stem
an even wider gap between rich and poor as Canada enters a recession. The cost
of poverty is high for all Canadians. There is good evidence that as a society
we either share the collective responsibility to prevent and reduce child and
family poverty, or we face rising costs in health care services, criminal justice
and education and reduced output due to high unemployment. The majority of Canadians
agree; in a recent study, an overwhelming majority (92%) say that if other nations
like the UK and Sweden can reduce poverty, so can Canada. Our choice is clear
 we can pay now or pay later. Campaign 2000 believes that paying now to
improve life chances and provide more opportunities for independence and success
makes good sense."Source:Campaign
2000Campaign 2000 is a cross-Canada public education movement to build
Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution
to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.

Related
links:

Open
Letter to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty from the (Ontario) 25 in 5 Network
for Poverty ReductionJanuary 13, 2008Dear Minister Flaherty,We
are writing on behalf of the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction to urge you
to make social investments and poverty reduction top priorities in the upcoming
January 27 federal budget. Evidence is mounting that investments in infrastructure,
such as affordable housing and early learning and child care, along with strengthening
the incomes of vulnerable families and adults, will reduce poverty. At the same
time it will create jobs and stimulate demand in local economies across Canada.On
the other hand, general income tax and GST cuts have been shown to be ineffective
and a weak substitute for social investments when it comes to economic stimulus...Source:25
in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction25-in-5 is a multi-sectoral network
endorsed by more than 1500 provincial and Toronto-based organizations and individuals
working on eliminating poverty. We have organized ourselves around the call for
a Poverty Reduction Plan with a goal to reduce poverty in Ontario by 25% in 5
years and 50% in 10 years.

Related links from 25
in 5:

The
Recession Relief Fund Coalition...is pressing the federal government
to support essential services to our most vulnerable people. The Coalition has
launched a Declaration that also calls for a National Housing Program.

Source:Campaign
2000Campaign 2000 is a cross-Canada public education movement to build
Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution
to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.

Stimulus
Package Remains a Lost OpportunityJanuary 28, 2009While CPJ
applauds Budget 2009 for its effort to address the economic crisis through economic
stimulus, it is also a lost opportunity to make greater investments that would
promote the dignity and well-being of the poor and marginalized. It also lacks
adequate investments in social infrastructure or sustainable development. The
budget reflects the governments unwillingness to promote public justice
through measures to protect those who will suffer the most from the economic crisis.
CPJ will strengthen the call for the federal government to invest in a poverty
reduction strategy and protect the most vulnerable in our society.

Source:Citizens
for Public JusticeWe are a faithful response to Gods call for love,
justice and stewardship. (...) Our mission is to promote public justice in
Canada by shaping key public policy debates through research and analysis, publishing
and public dialogue

Federal
Budget 2009 Consultations*December 11, 2008"The following
ideas have been proposed as ways of providing stimulus in Budget 2009. Please
rank them according to the priority they should have in the Governments
plan. If youve got another idea, rank that one as well. You will have the
opportunity to spell out your ideas on the next screen."Here are the
six ideas you are asked to rank:* Expedite Infrastructure Spending
* Invest in Housing * Build strong sustainable labour markets and training
incentives * Support traditional and emerging industrial sectors * Improve
Access to Credit * Your Idea: If you believe Budget 2009 should have a different
stimulus priority, assign a ranking to this box. You will be able to explain this
priority on the next screen

1. Why
did Finance Canada cut off submissions to the pre-budget consultation on January
9 if the budget date is the 27th?Do the Finance Canada analysts read that
slowly?

2. Why doesn't Finance Canada
offer links to pre-budget submissions from groups and individuals? I searched
the Finance Canada site for "2009 pre-budget consultation" and came
up with exactly zero resultsSo much for a "transparent" budget process,
I guess.

< / End
rhetorical questions >

**********************************************

<*Begin
rant.>

December 20, 2008

Hey,
Finance Canada website team --- here's a tip to make it easier for ordinary Canadians
to participate in your pre-budget consultations:QUIT CHANGING THE FRIKKIN'
URL FOR THE CONSULTATIONS PAGE!!

On
December 11, when Finance Canada launched its pre-budget consultation, the link
was called: Online
Pre-Budget Consultations for Budget 2009(I copied the link name and
URL directly from the Finance Canada website)Today (December 19), I received
a friendly email from a visitor to my site to inform me that "my"
link to the federal pre-budget consultation website was broken.I clicked the
link to see for myself (as you can, by clicking the link above) --- the click
took me to a Finance Canada error page with two options : the Finance Dept. website
search engine and the sitemap of the departmental website .I selected the
Finance
Canada search engine option, entered "2009 budget consultation"
in the search box and hit "Search Now". On the results page, I had to
scroll down to the 14th link to find the "Fiscal Stimulus" presentation,
and there was no other link (among the "best 63 results") to
the 2009 budget consultation. PLEASE Fix your search engine so that it returns
relevant results.The sitemap
of Finance Canada's website is the second option offered on the error page,
and it's about as useful as the search engine. It offers links to federal budgets
for 2005 to 2008 - not one word about the 2009 budget consultations.

Bottom
Line:If you *must* change your URLs after you've sent out emails to everyone
on your list (which is not very swift in the first place), don't give people two
options that are equally useless. Either TEST the options to ensure that they
lead visitors to the correct information, or just tell people in your error message
that they should start from the home
page of the departmental website, where there is a clear link to the 2009
budget consultation page.

</End
rant.>

Speech
from the ThroneJanuary 26, 2009In these
uncertain times, when the world is threatened by a struggling economy, it is imperative
that we work together, that we stand beside one another and that we strive for
greater solidarity.(ZZZZZZZZZZ...)Source:Government
of Canada

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